Statement of the Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate to portable communication devices, and more particularly to acoustic transducer ports used in portable communication devices.
Description of the Related Art
A portable communication device will generally include a housing in which certain components are enclosed. For example, such components can include electronic circuitry (such as a wireless transceiver), one or more control elements, a loudspeaker and/or a microphone. The housing for the portable communication device will usually also include at least one acoustic transducer port such as a speaker grille. The speaker grille permits audio reproduced by the loudspeaker to be more easily communicated from an interior of the housing to an environment external of the housing. The housing can also include a microphone port to facilitate transmission of audio from the environment external of the housing to the microphone, which is located internal of the housing.
Portable communication devices for civilian, public safety and military usage are employed in a wide range of environmental conditions, including conditions that can involve precipitation and water spray. Acoustic transducer ports for loudspeakers and microphones usually include some type of openings formed in the housing to facilitate passage of audio, and therefore have the potential to allow water to intrude into the interior of the housing. Accordingly, various design techniques are commonly used to minimize the risk of water transmission to the interior of the housing from an exterior environment. For example, housing apertures associated with acoustic transducer ports are usually made very small so as to minimize any potential water intrusion associated with precipitation and/or spray. Other techniques involve the use of recessed or shrouded apertures. Sometimes the apertures are formed as slots which can be angled or shielded to help prevent water intrusion. Water or other fluids can become trapped in the speaker grille openings and microphone port, thereby blocking audio output and audio transmissions respectively